Where to Try Vegetarian Hungarian Food in Budapest
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Budapest, the capital of the central European country Hungary, is one of my favorite cities of all time. It was the first place I ever traveled solo, so it holds a special place in my heart, and I’ve been back numerous times since. It’s a beautiful, fascinating city with something to offer every kind of tourist: history, architecture, thermal baths, caves?, nightlife (ruin pubs!!!), hiking, biking, Unicum (lol), and, of course, food.
My most recent visit was during my 2022 summer holiday, and it was my boyfriend’s first time in Hungary. Naturally, we love to try the local cuisine when we travel, and he had a long list of Hungarian dishes to eat.
What is Hungarian cuisine?
Hungarian cuisine is widely known for paprika, its most famous and very liberally-used seasoning, and the dish goulash. Hungarian goulash is a soup (though it’s often incorrectly thought to be a stew) that is typically made with beef and vegetables. But there’s a lot more stuff than just goulash! There are also 700 additional paprika-based soups and stews, okay?! I kid…sort of. But there is a lot of paprika, which is not a problem for me because Hungarian paprika is legit. And there are a lot of soups, stews, and generally hearty fare, which includes a lot of meat, and that IS a problem for me since I am a vegetarian.
So, what did I do while my boyfriend was chowing down on his murderous paprika stew at a restaurant with no vegetarian options? Eat a plate of pickles with a large beer? Well, yes. I did. But vegetarianism and veganism is becoming increasingly popular in Budapest, and on this visit there were more options than ever available.
A lot of vegetarian and vegan restaurants, though, are centered around providing either health food or veggie versions of fast food–not Hungarian cuisine. So where can a visitor to Budapest try some vegetarian or vegan versions of classic Hungarian dishes? Are ANY Hungarian dishes naturally vegetarian?
Well, good news: the answers to those questions are “some places” and “sort of”! Okay, now that I’ve typed it out, that news is more “slightly concerning” than it is “good”. But really, it’s fine. I’m here to give you a few of my recommendations!
Kozmosz Vegan Restaurant. Left: Bean Goulash. Right: Vegan “cottage cheese” noodles with tofu.
Kozmosz Vegan Restaurant
Kozmosz, a cozy basement spot near the House of Terror museum, is a fully vegan restaurant offering a few plant-based versions of Hungarian dishes, including: bean goulash, seitan stew with nokedli (a kind of Hungarian noodle similar to spaetzle), and “cottage cheese” noodles (made with tofu).
Tip: Cottage cheese noodles are a dish vegetarians (not vegans) might be able to get at a regular restaurant; they are usually served with bacon on top so you can ask for no bacon.
Mushroom paprika stew with nokedli at Kisharang. In the background you can peep some cucumber salad and the obligatory beer.
Kisharang Etkezde
Kisharang Etkezde is centrally located not far from St. Stephen’s Basilica, but despite this, it still has some pretty reasonable prices. It’s a homey spot with red-checkered tablecloths and a menu full of traditional Hungarian dishes–including a fair few vegetarian options. My favorite was the mushroom stew with nokedli–I highly recommend it! It’s quite rich with sour cream and strong paprika flavor, so luckily you can order a small portion if you don’t have a big appetite (or have more things you want to try). They also have cottage cheese noodles, cabbage noodles, and fried cheese.
This is a great spot for a couple or family of mixed vegetarians/non-vegetarians to stop in for lunch/dinner after sightseeing in the central Pest area.
Langos topped with sour cream and SMOKED CHEESE!!
Retro Langos
Langos is fried dough traditionally topped with sour cream and cheese…so, basically, it’s a savory doughnut. A big savory doughnut. You’ll see them for sale in various places around Budapest, but I recommend Retro Langos, a casual, fast food-type spot in central Pest. They are tasty, good quality, and have lots of options for vegetarians. They also have stuffed langos, where the dough is fried with the fillings inside (rather than put on top after frying)!
The location between the central tourist area of Pest and the Jewish Quarter (where there are a lot of bars) also makes it a good place to get something to soak up the booze on a night out.
Edeni Vegan
Apparently Budapest’s first vegetarian restaurant, this old-timer on the Buda side of the city makes a good lunch stop for tourists checking out the Castle Hill area. As I’ve noticed can occasionally be an issue with old-school vegan restaurants, the seasoning can sometimes be lacking, but it’s worth giving some of the more Hungarian-style dishes a try, like the stews and veggie “meat”.
Hungarikum Bisztro
This classic Hungarian restaurant is a bit more upscale than Kisharang (and spendier), but if you want a traditional meal with a little more atmosphere, then this is a good place for you. They always have a few vegetarian options, like vegetable stew and nokedli, but it’s also wise to make a reservation, as they are frequently fully booked. They also have live music sometimes!
These are my picks for vegetarians wanting to try Hungarian cuisine in Budapest. What are your favorite spots in Budapest for Hungarian food?
